Collecting tower



Sept. 29, 1970 B; B. MAT EWS mu. 3,530,966

COLLECTING TOWER Original Filed Aug. 28, 1967 1% I 150 y K 110 133- LQ I52:

L G 3 mvsmons .443 5mm 5. MAT/lfWfi Arron/m United States Patent 3,530,966 COLLECTING TOWER Bentley B. Mathews, Box 335, Arbuckle, Calif. 95912, and Paul T. Frentzen, Arbuckle, Calif.; said Frentzen assignor to said Mathews Original application Aug. 28, 1967, Ser. No. 663,835. Divided and this application Mar. 26, 1969, Ser. No. 810,750

Int. Cl. B65g 11/00 U.S. Cl. 193--29 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A collection tower having a tubular column adapted to simultaneously receive material from a plurality of generally vertically spaced output sources. The tower is provided with a receiving chamber for each output source directed thereinto and alternatively operable baflled discharge outputs adapted to be selectively opened to direct material received in each of the chambers to any one of a number of processing stations.

This application is a division of our copending application Ser. No. 663,835, filed Aug. 28, 1967, now Pat. No. 3,469,674, Sept. 30, 1969 and entitled Distribution System and Components Therefor.

The present invention relates to a collecting tower adapted to receive material from a plurality of sources and selectively direct the material from each source to any one of a plurality of alternative destinations.

In the prior art, various types of distribution systems have been provided. These range from the most rudimentary systems to the complicated systems typically employed with mass production assembly lines. Such systerms are usually tailored to the specific environment in which they are used and, accordingly, are not well suited for use in other environments. As a result, each time a new environment is developed, a new or modified distribution system must accompany the development.

The present invention is designed to be used with the apparatus disclosed in our prior application Ser. No. 481,847, filed Aug. 23, 1965, and entitled Segregation Apparatus and Method, now Pat. No. 3,348,680. This application relates to a separator having a plurality of outputs for the discharge of material of different sizes.

In summary, the tower of the present invention may be defined as an apparatus adapted to collect separated material and, selectively, direct it to a number of alternative stations in a separated condition. The foregoing abstract summarizes the elements making up the tower. A more precise definition is found in the accompanying claims.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a collecting tower capable of receiving separated material from a plurality of sources and directing it to various destinations while maintaining it in a separated state.

Another and more specific object of the invention is to provide such a tower ideally suited for use in combination with the invention of our aforementioned application Ser. No. 481,847.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide such a tower capable of directing material with a minimum of damage.

Still another object of the invention is to provide such a tower facilitated for selective adjustment to route separated material to various alternative destinations.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a tower which is designed to occupy a minimum of space and facilitated for use in multi-level environments.

These and other objects and the specifics of the invenice tion will become more apparent when viewed in light of the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, with parts thereof broken away for the sake of illustration, illustrating the collecting tower components of the present invention employed with a separating apparatus of the type disclosed in my aforementioned copending application Ser. No. 481,847;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on the plane designated by line 2-2 in FIG. 1; and,

FIGS. 3 and 4 are sectional views taken on the planes designated by lines 3-3 and 4--4, respectively, in FIG. 2.

Referring to the drawing, the collecting tower is designated therein in its entirety by the letter C. The tower is shown disposed in receiving relationship to the trays of a separator of the type disclosed in our copending ap plication Ser. No. 481,847. The trays are designated by the numerals 104, 106, 108 and 110 and, as can be seen from FIG. 3, are disposed in vertically spaced relationship. Each of the trays includes an outlet spout, designated by the letter S, at its lower extremity.

The collecting tower C comprises, as its basic element, a primary tubular column 112. The column 112 is of rectangular cross-section and made up of angled corner pieces 114 rigidly interconnected by a plurality of vertically spaced rearward sidewalls 116; a plurality of vertically spaced first lateral sidewalls 118; a plurality of vertically spaced second lateral sidewalls 120; and, a plurality of vertically spaced forward sidewalls 122. These walls are all fixedly connected to the corner pieces between which they extend. The rearward sidewalls 116 define inlet openings 124 therebetween for slidable receipt of the spouts S. The sidewalls 118, 120 and 122 define therebetween, respectively, a first row of outlet openings 126, a second row of outlet openings 128 and a third row of outlet openings 130. The outlet openings 126, 128 and are disposed so that a composite set comprised of one opening in each of the row-s thereof is provided beneath each of the inlet openings 124. As can be seen from FIG. 3, each set comprises a pair of transversely aligned openings 126 and 128 disposed beneath the level of the inlet opening 124 thereabove and an opening 130 disposed beneath the level of the openings 126 and 128 thereof.

Gate structure is mounted within the column 112 to provide mutually isolated receiving chambers in communication with each of the inlet openings 124. These chambers are disposed to receive material discharged thereinto through the inlet openings 124 and to direct this material, selectively, through any of the outlet openings in the composite set provided for the inlet opening discharging thereinto. The gate structure comprises, for each of the inlet openings and the composite set of outlet openings provided therefor: a first panel 132 fixed to the corner pieces 114 and extending completely across the column ,112 in downwardly inclined relationship beneath the opening 130; a second panel 134 hingedly secured immediately beneath the outlet opening 126 by hinged connection to the corner pieces 114 to either side thereof; and, a third panel 136 hingedly secured beneath the outlet opening 128 by pivotal connection to the corner pieces 114 to either side thereof. The panels 134 and 136, as can be best seen from FIG. 3, are disposed for pivotal movement between a first position extending over and closing the opening thereabove and a second position extending across the column 112. The panels 134 and 136 in each composite set are disposed so that they may be moved to the latter position only in one-at-a-time fashion. This results because movement of one of the panels to the second position functions to lock the opposite panel in the first position.

Movement of the panels 134 and 136 between the first and second positions is provided by hinge pins 138 and 140, respectively, fixed thereto and extending therefrom to operating levers 142 and 144, respectively. The levers 142 and 144 are disposed laterally of the column 112 for ready access. Counterbalance weights 146 and 148 are secured, respectively, to the distal ends of the levers 142 and 144. Upon movement of the levers to a condition swinging the panel secured thereto to the first position, these weights function to retain the panels in position under the influence of gravity.

The basic structure of the collecting tower C is completed by secondary tubular columns 150, 152 and 154. These columns, as can be seen from FIG. 4, are of channel shaped cross-section and secured to the corner pieces 114 in receiving relationship to the rows of openings 126, 128 and 130, respectively. Although not illustrated, it is to be understood that these columns are open at their lower ends for discharge to any desired disposal.

In operation, the composite set of outlet openings provided beneath each of the inlet openings 124 and the gate structure associated therewith provides for the selective discharge of material received through the inlet opening to any one of the columns 150, 152 and 154. To discharge into the column 150, it is simply necessary to move the panel 136 to the first position and the panel 134 to the second position. In the latter condition, the panel 134 functions to intercept material and direct it through the opening 126. Discharge to the column 152 may be similarly effected by moving the panel 134 to the first position and the panel 136 to the second position. In the latter condition, as can be seen from the lower part of FIG. 5, the panel 136 functions to intercept material and direct it through the opening 128. To discharge into the column 154, it is simply necessary to move both of the panels 134 and 136 to the first position. In this condition, the openings 126 and 128 are closed and the panel 132 intercepts material and directs it through the opening 13 0.

From the foregoing detailed description and accompanying drawings, it is believed apparent that the present invention enables the attainment of the objects initially set forth herein.

What is claimed is:

1. A collecting tower for use in combination with a device having a plurality of discharge spouts disposed in vertically spaced relationship to each other for the simultaneous discharge of material therethrough, said tower comprising:

(A) a first tubular column having:

(1) a plurality of inlet means disposed in vertically spaced relationship to each other, said means providing for the charging of material into said column and being adapted, respectively, to be simultaneously disposed in communication with the spouts of said device for the receipt of material therefrom; and,

(2) a plurality of outlet means, said means providing for the discharging of material from said column and being disposed in rows to provide a composite set of said outlet means disposed, re-

spectively, in receiving relationship to each of said inlet means, each of said sets comprising an outlet means in each of said rows;

(B) gate means operatively associated with said first column to isolate said inlet means from communication therethrough, said gate means being selectively operable to open any one of the outlet means in each of said composite sets while closing the remaining outlet means thereof; and,

(C) a plurality of second tubular columns disposed, respectively, in receiving communication with each row of said outlet means, said second columns being mutually isolated from communication with each other.

2. A collecting tower according to claim 1, wherein:

(A) said first column is of rectangular cross-section;

(B) said inlet means each comprise an opening, all of which are disposed in the same side of said column; and,

(C) said outlet means each comprise an opening and the rows thereof are disposed, respectively, in the remaining sides of said column.

3. A collecting tower according to claim 2, wherein:

(A) each composite set of said outlet means comprises:

(1) first and second substantially transversely aligned openings disposed, respectively, in the walls of said first column extending from the wall in which the openings comprising said inlet means are disposed, said first and second openings being located, at least partially, beneath the opening comprising the inlet means for which said set is provided; and,

(2) a third opening disposed in the Wall opposite the wall in which the openings comprising said inlet means are disposed, said third opening being located, at least partially, beneath said first and second openings;

(B) said gate means comprises, for each of said composite sets:

(1) a pair of panels hingedly secured to said first column, respectively, beneath the first and second openings of said set, said panels each being swingable within said column between a first position covering the opening thereabove and a second position extending across said column and over the third opening of said set;

(2) means to selectively move said panels between said positions and effect the retention thereof in either of said positions; and,

(3) means to direct material from the inlet means for which said set is provided to the third opening of said set when said panels are both in the first position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS ANDRES H. NIELSEN, Primary Examiner 

